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SAGINAW -- Todd Watson has been fired as the Saginaw Spirit's General Manager and head coach, the team announced Saturday.

He will be replaced on the bench by Greg Gilbert, a former NHL player who has been a head coach for the last 14 years, including three seasons in the OHL and two in the NHL.

“We recognize the many on-ice accomplishments that Todd has achieved while here in Saginaw as Head Coach and as GM," Spirit President and Managing Partner Craig Goslin said in a statement. "Todd has left our on-ice program better than he found it. We wish him all the best in his career."

Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting Jim Paliafito will assume General Manager duties.

The decision was announced Saturday afternoon, before the team's home game against Belleville.

The move comes with four games remaining in the first half of the regular season, and with less than a month before the OHL trade deadline. Gilbert is expected to join the Spirit early next week.

Todd Watson Year-By-Year

Year Record Div. Playoffs2007-08 33-25-0-10 4th Lost in 1st round2008-09 36-24-0-8 2nd Lost in 2nd round2009-10 34-27-4-3 4th Lost in 1stround2010-11 40-22-4-2 1st Lost in 2nd round2011-12 11-17-0-2 5th

Watson was the the team's longest-tenured coach in its ten-season history, with four and a half years behind the bench. He compiled a 154-115-20-13 record, won the team's first OHL West Division title earlier this year, and recorded the team's first two playoff series wins.

Yet this year's team, which includes seven NHL draft picks and 11 players in their 19- or 20-year-old season, has underachieved. They currently sit at 11-17-0-2, ninth place in the Western Conference and six points out of eighth.

This year's Spirit team got off to the worst start in franchise history, winning one of its first nine games. After going 6-2 in late October and early November, it has lost nine of its last 13 games.

Watson, 44, became the head coach in 2007 following 11 years in the Plymouth Whalers organization, the last four as an assistant coach. He came to the Spirit after the organization went through five head coaches in five seasons.

Watson added general manager duties in October, 2008, and signed a new five-year contract at the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

View full sizeAP Photo/Susan WalshGreg Gilbert coaches the Calgary Flames during a 2002 game

Gilbert, 49, played 16 years in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.

He retired from the NHL in 1996, and has since coached in the NHL, AHL and OHL.

After spending four seasons as coach of the AHL's Worcester IceCats, Gilbert was hired as coach of the Calgary Flames in 2001. In parts of three seasons, he compiled a 42-56- 17-6 record.

From there, he went to the OHL bench where he spent three seasons as coach of his hometown Mississauga IceDogs, winning the OHL Central Division twice and leading the 2003-04 IceDogs to the OHL finals.

After coaching the IceDogs, Gilbert coached the Toronto Marlies of the AHL for two seasons and the Adirondack Phantoms for parts of two seasons before being fired in 2010-11 amid a 2-10-0-1 start.